Electronic devices such as computers, televisions, portable media players, telephones, cell phones, and other portable devices are becoming increasingly common. These devices grow more complex over time, incorporating many features including, for example, automatic dimming or control of display backlights, automatic deactivation or control of user input sensors, video player capabilities, MP3 player capabilities, other audio player capabilities, web browsing capabilities, remote control controller and/or reception capabilities, infrared (IR) data association transmission and reception capabilities, capabilities of personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like.
Some of these electronic devices may include multiple sensors which are used to detect the environment or context associated with these portable devices, to detect remote control (RC) signals, or to detect data communication signals such as infrared light (IR) data association (DA) signals (IRDA signals). Moreover, some of these electronic devices may include multiple emitters or transmitters, which are used to emit or transmit signals such as a proximity signal for detecting proximity, an RC signal, or an IRDA signal.
For example, U.S. patent application publication no. 92005/0219228 describes a device which includes many sensors, including a proximity sensor and a light sensor. The outputs from the sensors are processed to determine a device context. The light sensor detects ambient light levels and the proximity sensor detects a proximity to an object, such as a user's ear or face. In this case, there are two separate sensors which require two openings in the housing of the device. This is shown in FIG. 1, which shows a device 10. The device 10 includes a proximity sensor 12 mounted on a surface of the device 10 and an ambient light sensor 14 also mounted on the surface of the device 10. Each of these sensors is distinct from the other, and separate openings in the surface are needed for each sensor.